Now, there’s just that tiny niggle about whether the company famed for resetting entire consumer-product sectors has enough wowzer ideas to take over where buybacks leave off. Clock is ticking, writes Howard Gold. Carl Icahn tweeted along the same lines.

Here’s some details on what’s going on in Ukraine, courtesy of Russia Today.

Russia has begun extensive military exercises in Ukrainian border area following the escalation of violence in eastern Ukraine.

“The order to use force against civilians has already been given, and if this military machine is not stopped, the amount of casualties will only grow,” Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu said during an official meeting in Moscow.

“War games by NATO in Poland and the Baltic states are not helping the normalization of the situation. We are forced to react to the situation.”

“We are very concerned about the situation in Ukraine and Russia. We are hoping for a peaceful resolution, but business confidence around the world could dampen, and trade and world GDP could slow should the situation deteriorate. The global economy remains fragile, and as such, one or two setbacks could create substantial downside risk for the global economic recovery.”

Traders are taking reports of military exercise plans by Russia “very seriously and we having seen a hasty change in sentiment on our end,” said Naeem Aslam, chief market analyst at AvaTrade. “Gold could be the biggest beneficiary of this situation and in no time we could be back above the $1,300 level.”

At last check, June gold was up $3.50, or 0.3%, at $1,288.10 an ounce on Comex, after hitting an intraday high of $1,299. It touched a low of $1,268.40 in electronic trading.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average is about 55 points off its record closing level – 16,576.66, reached on Dec 31. Once it goes over that number, the index will turn positive for the year. Peaking on the last day of the last year makes calculations easy.

• Apple last saw a percentage gain greater than the 8%-rally so far today was on Wednesday April 25, 2012 when it rose 8.87%.• Apple is 6 – 4 over the last 10 trading sessions.• Apple’s best day of the year was Wednesday January 15 when it gained 2%.• Apple’s worst day of the year was Tuesday January 28 when it fell 8%.• Apple has gained 34.18, or 6.43% since the last Fed meeting on March 19.• Apple’s longest win streak in recent years lasted 12 days ending Tuesday May 13, 2003 when it closed at $9.34• Apple’s longest losing streak in recent years lasted 8 days ending Tuesday July 28, 1998 when it closed at $8.41• Apple’s 50-day moving average is 531.3. Its 200-day moving average is 512.1.• Apple’s 52-week high is 575.1358 set on Dec. 5, 2013.• Apple’s 52-week low is 388.87 set on June 28, 2013.

Moody’s Investors Service placed Zimmer Holdings’ Baa1 rating on downgrade review after the orthopedic device maker said it is buying Biomet for $13.35 billion.

Moody’s said:

Zimmer will take on a significant amount of debt with this transaction, and there are unique risks in bringing together two established franchises in orthopedic products. That said, we believe that the combined company’s larger presence in hips and knees as well as potential synergies help support an investment grade profile.

At the same time, the ratings agency placed Biomet’s B2 rating on upgrade review, suggesting that it views the union as more beneficial for the smaller company.

Zimmer Holdings Inc.
/quotes/zigman/287652/delayed/quotes/nls/zmhZMH reported improved first-quarter results Thursday, as plans were announced to buy fellow orthopedic-device maker Biomet Inc. for about $13.35 billion in cash and stock. Despite Zimmer’s credit downgrade by S&P to “BBB,” it’s clearly a acquisition investors approved of, as shares rose by more than 18% at one point.

This will make the company a leader in the global hip and knee market, creating a “heavyweight,” as Leerink analyst Richard Newitter puts it. Combined, Zimmer and Biomet would have revenue of $7.8 billion in 2013.

Amazon’s
/quotes/zigman/63011/delayed/quotes/nls/amznAMZN stocks are up 3.3% ahead of earnings after the bell. The online-retail giant is testing its own delivery service in San Francisco, Los Angeles and New York, reports The Wall Street Journal. This move will give the company more control over the shopping experience, and help it contain shipping expenses that grew 29% last year.

“The winter hit has reversed, but core capex orders are still range-bound.”

Gary Thayer, chief macro strategist at Wells Fargo Advisors predicts that capital spending will pick up in the coming months because “companies are using more of their existing productive capacity, creating an increased need for additional fixed investment. “

Companies who have been waiting for the economy to improve to start investing may, in fact, be the ones holding the growth they are waiting for.

The Nasdaq ended with a decent gain, rising 21.37 points, or 0.5%, to 4,148.34, as Apple posted its best one-day performance in two years on those impressive first-quarter results and future plans.

But overall gains were trimmed by Ukraine worries, leaving the Dow Jones Industrial Average literally flat at the end of a choppy session. The index finished unchanged from Wednesday’s close at 16,501.65.

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